Bring it On

(My new girlfriend, Haley)

Once Jesse and Sammy had gone, Haley, Brock, and I bonded over burgers at Shake Shack and shopping all around midtown on an afternoon off.
Then, we BROUGHT IT!

Months ago, Bri and I saw a commercial for this year's new musical, Bring It On, loosely based on the 2000, movie starring Kirsten Dunst. We sat silently watching the teaser and when it ended we looked at each other, rolled our eyes, and both muttered,  "Dumb." There was a pause and after a few seconds, I said, "It's probably awesome," and then we both chuckled because... what a silly thought; that it could be awesome.
Fast forward.

It IS awesome!

Brock and Haley had waited in line for rush tickets to the new show because Haley, being a once nationally competitive/ranked cheerleader (see above picture I stole from her FB account), knew a few cast members from her team squad back in Texas.
Once Brock realized that Haley was getting me a ticket as well, he saw the opportunity to bail on the cheerleading broadway musical and still not disappoint his wife by leaving her to see it alone and he ran with it. Can you imagine? A grown man NOT wanting to see Bring It On: The Musical?!
Shocking, no?
 So, it was a date!
Me and Hales and some broadway singing cheerleaders.
To be honest, it wasn't my first pick of shows to see, but the fact that she wanted to see her friends soar (literally and figuratively) won me over, and I was ready. Plus I thought, what Broadway show have I seen that I didn't like?... It cant suck but so badly. 

Now, I'm easily entertained it's true, but trust me, this show is AWESOME!!!

It's topical, which is sometimes a relief when going to the theater. It's hysterical, the stunts are mind-blowing, and the music is phenomenal - done by the amazing Lin-Maunel Miranda of In the Heights. Now, had I realized Lin was involved right off the bat, I'd have been more gung-ho. It took 3 songs in for me to recognize his sound. I'm getting rusty.

I had been looking for any excuse to wear these vintage turquoise earrings that my Aunt Jesse bought for my Momma in Mexico YEARS ago, and this night was their re-veiling. I had to take a picture to send Kerny, and dern if that same damn ring I've been talking about for 4 posts now isn't in the picture... so unintentional, but SO lucky.

The St. James theater. 

One of my darling patients manages this theater.

We started in box seats, which in broadway theaters, are usually the worst, but we moved to 5th row center orchestra and LOVED our seats!

$35 spent and we probably sat in $200 seats. 

Deal.

This is Dahlston. He's Haley's cheerleader friend from 'The Spirit of Texas'.

He's a swing in the show and unfortunately for us, was singing off-stage on this particular night.

Brock (Haley's husband if I didn't already make that clear) met us afterwards for our backstage tour and here we are with the cast's National Trophy. We got in a lot of trouble when I picked this thing up. In my mind I was shaking it, doing facials, and preparing my ESPN interview, but I never even got to that point before security yelled at me. I really shouldn't act on such instincts. If Dahlston gets kicked out of the show any time soon, we'll know it's for allowing such hooligans on his backstage list. 

The glamorous backstage, dressing stations, and wardrobe.

Haley's friend, Courtney, came out from changing and there were more hugs and laughs and "Meet my husband"'s, and "I'm sorry I couldn't make it to your wedding"'s

and it was just an all around blast.

One of the leads in the show is, "So You Think You Can Dance" star, Neil Haskell and once he realized Haley's connection to his fellow cast members, he amused them with an insider's secret "Spirit of Texas" gang sign. Or spirit fingers... or something. 

Whatever it is...

It's code for "Spirit of Texas."

That Neil, what a poser.

Total pun intended.

When we left the theater, I was leading the troops through the stage door and it was the most pitiful thing when this miniature cheer squad saw me. 

They got SO excited and started waving their sharpies at me and one even gasped and said, "Oh, it's..."

and as soon as she couldn't place me from the show, they all immediately became so disappointed. I have always dreamed of being on broadway, but never did I wish so bad I had been a star in the show... just to have avoided those disappointed cute faces. I felt like the worst person in the world. 

It was as if I had just told them there was no Santa Clause. 

Which I didn't. 

I would never do that.

Because I never lie and especially wouldn't lie to children. 

I went back in and told Dahlston and Courtney to HURRY UP and get out there so that I didn't have to see that kind of trauma again and once they met up to me and exited the theater, the girls were grinning and giddy again. Phew. I almost couldn't take it.

Here they are being very famous and in demand.

One more shot outside the theater.

Then onto Cafe Lalo (from 'You've Got Mail') to officially celebrate Haley's birthday.

Happy Birthday Hales!

New York has missed you so much since you've left. 

Ever meet a friend and have an instant connection?... Deeper than "Bachelorette" analyses - which I mean, were had and of course are of serious importance?

That's Hales.

I believe I have pretty good intuition and can usually determine relatively quickly whether I will like someone or not. With Haley, it was extreme. We met and as soon as we got to chatting, I felt like I'd known her since childhood and I knew we would be life long friends.
Since she left, we touch base almost every day and we're both waiting for the slightest excuse to visit each other again for a girls weekend. 

I feel the same way I did in second grade when Christy Little was my pen-pal (and we all know how that panned out - awesomely). I cant explain it, but it's a good feeling. A feeling, as cheesy as it sounds, of a girlfriend-match-made-in-heaven. I already feel like I can lean on her even from across the country.

That's a lot of talk about feelings, but let's just say that I love this girl and I'm so glad we met, had a weekend together, and a date night to see Bring It On!

We'll bring it again Hales! And soon!

Love,

~Legs*

Friends old and new

The weekend that my old age was celebrated was also the weekend I was expecting two separate friends in town (who, lucky for me, just so happened to know each other previously).

Sammy and Jesse would both be here on business and I had planned to meet up with them separately unit I found out they had met previously, through other friends, years ago.

Perfect! Let's make it a party.

We left boat basin and headed to The Bowery Electric for dancing which was magical and HOTTTT. SOO HOT and humid.

After dancing our faces off, we stopped by Artichoke for some HOT pizza. SOO HOT!

Everything in the city, come late July, is SOO HOT!

Including these 3 beauties.

It's like we were living 2008 all over again and it was pure pleasure!

I met Sam in May of 2008 in Corolla, NC and see him often on his work trips to NYC. 

(all circa our first meeting in 2008)

Jesse we met in Dec of 2008 while he was visiting NYC with mutual friends of Judy's. I saw him again in Arizona for Judy's Bday in Sept 2010.

All pre-blog.

Out dancing, on the roof and on my bed at my old studio... :(

(all circa 2008)

(Az circa 2010)

I digress...

Sammy's brother, Luke, was in town and Jesse's friend, Brock was here with his wife, Haley, who I met and fell in love with. The group made quite a night of it the next night when as usual, Sammy invited us to some party down at the Beekman Beer Garden at South Street Seaport. 

At some point Luke, who has no shame whatsoever, proposed to a beautiful, but spoken-for French woman who had, lucky for Luke, left her speak-ee in France; far from the distance he'd need to be to punch Luke in the throat.

I think his deal making move was the Bieber/Dougie dance down onto one knee. It really sealed the deal.

She said yes.

I had my biggie camera there if you can't tell.

Later, the Salisbury brothers ended up in some other female strangers' glasses.

These two have some serious nerve and somehow, they're charming enough to get away with it and for NYC girls to NOT spit in their faces. Trust me, no other guys could pull off these antics in New York City.

A photo shoot soon followed with all three of the Brooklyn Bridge, Williamsburg Bridge, and the Manhattan Bridge as our back drop.

And, yes.

I'm going to post everyone of them because every one of them makes me laugh for a different reason. And because it's my blog. I can post semi-identical photos all day long if I like.
It's my blog and I'll post fraternal photos if I want to.

Scroll fast if you want to skip on and continue reading.

Candids...

Luke is still "reserved."

Which is absolutely this opposite of what Luke is in reality.

Boys will be boys...

Dream team...

Also on this night I met Jesse's friend, Brock and we both met Brock's wife, Haley. And hence forth, Haley and I were in love. 

For Jesse's last day here, we decided to meet Brock and Haley down in the financial district and head to the 9/11 memorial. Luke met up with us after seeing Book of Mormon on broadway and Haley's Dad, Stepmom, and sister met us too! The more the merrier!

First Jesse had a little one-on-one with the lady of liberty...

she's off in the background there somewhere...

and me as paparazzi.

Then onto the memorial.

Haley's Dad is remarried and she has a three year old sister named Cameron.

And she is adorable!

These clouds and the immediate storm that followed soon after, kicked us out of the memorial and into shelter... We did however make it to Magnolia before the night was over...

where I kindly and delicately shared my cupcake with Luke.

There's that ring again that I mentioned a few posts back... and again in my last post.

And I thought I had no pictures of it...

Jesse and I ate left over cookie-dough bday cake at midnight in our PJ's and watched the olympics and felt really good about it. Jesse's rationalizing, "Well, at least THEIR running..."

Then he flew back to Az and left New York a little less sunny, but luckily Brock and Haley didn't head out for another few days so the adventures continued.

And by adventures I mean shake shop and shopping.

But also we saw a Broadway show and you'll hear all about that next. 

I swear, once I catch up on the blogging, I'll never get behind again. 

That is unless next summer is as chock full with as much awesome as this summer was... in which case, blog, schmog!

To lifelong friends, old and new!

Love,

~Kare*